Berkeley briefs: Disaster readiness event rescheduled

Standing Rock protest to be topic of speakers

Two prominent figures in the movement to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline and its routing under the Missouri River will be at La Peña Cultural Center on Aug. 25 to discuss their campaign to dismiss charges against people arrested during the past year’s protests at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota.

Chase Iron Eyes, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the 2016 Democratic candidate for North Dakota’s Congressional seat, is lead counsel of the Santa Cruz-based Lakota People’s Law Project. He faces 10 years in prison if convicted of felony charges in connection with the protests, according to a news release from the law project.

Daniel Sheehan, a constitutional attorney, is chief counsel of Lakota People’s Law Project and head of the legal team defending Iron Eyes and another water protector, Holy Elk, according to the press release.

“In the coming months, my trial and those of other water protectors falsely charged with crimes at Standing Rock will expose the illegal wedding between big oil, their militarized private security, and the government intent on silencing the people and exploiting the Earth for the sake of profit,” Iron Eyes said in the release.

Said Sheehan, “Standing Rock represents the tip of the spear in the movement to safeguard the sacred — the land and water of the Lakota people and the right to speak freely in this time of great, grave uncertainty about the future of our country and our planet.”

Chase Iron Eyes and Daniel Sheehan will speak from 5 to 6:30 p.m. La Peña is at 3105 Shattuck Ave. Seating is limited. The event is free, but attendees must procure tickets in advance, available here. A session later in the evening is already booked, organizers said.

Disaster readiness event rescheduled

The Halcyon Neighborhood Association has moved up by a day its annual disaster preparedness event in view of political protests and counter-protests announced in Berkeley for the originally planned date.

“Disaster? Be Ready!” will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 26 at Halcyon Commons park, Halcyon Court at Prince Street.

The public is invited to the free event to learn and practice emergency skills, take classes, stop by staffed information stations, pick up giveaways of life-saving tools and equipment, enjoy light snacks and coffee, and more.

An open house at the Tilden Nature Area will feature crafts, games, bubbles and more from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 4.

No registration is needed for the free event at the end of Central Park Drive at Tilden Regional Park.

Details: 510-544-2233, www.ebparks.org.

Arrest made in robbery of UC student

A UC Berkeley student was robbed Aug. 17, and a suspect was arrested later, authorities said. The victim, a 25-year-old man, was injured during the robbery and had to be hospitalized.

The robbery happened about 9:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of Hearst Avenue near LeConte Avenue. The victim was walking when he was approached by three suspects who pushed him to the ground and physically attacked him, police said.

The suspects stole his backpack and other items, then fled to a nearby vehicle and drove away. Berkeley police spotted the vehicle and began to pursue it.

At one point the driver slowed down and some occupants got out and fled on foot. Police continued to follow the vehicle, which eventually crashed.

The driver, a 19-year-old Oakland man, was arrested. His name was not released.

Chocolate and chalk along the sidewalk

Artists of all ages, amateur and professional, will dress the sidewalks of the Ghourmet Ghetto in chalk at the sweets-,drinks- and music-livened 2017 Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival.

The festival will extend along Shattuck Avenue from from Rose Street to Hearst Avenue, six blocks north of the Downtown Berkeley BART station, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 27.

Artists who register with the festival will be assigned sidewalk space to create their drawings. Same-day registration will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in event booths at 1495, 1607 and 1849 Shattuck Ave. Chalk can be bought for $10 at the booths or else artists can bring their own, according to the festival organizer, Another Bullwinkel Show.

During the festival, vendors of chocolate and other products will display their merchandise. There will be a beer and wine garden on Vine Street with live music by Rusty String Express (bluegrass), Humanistic Trio (jazz), and Laura Weinback (jazz violin).

Suspect flees facility with cell phones, wallets

Investigators are asking for the public’s help in finding a robbery suspect who threatened a staff member at UC Berkeley’s recreational sports facility with a gun.

At 6:03 p.m. Aug. 16, police responded to reports of the robbery at the facility, 2301 Bancroft Way, and were told that a man snuck into the facility and began prowling through the building, taking cell phones and wallets from victims.

When a staff member confronted him, he told her he had a gun. Fearful for her safety, she let him leave the building. He was last seen walking westbound on Bancroft Way, and police searched the area but did not find him.

Police describe the suspect as African-American, middle-aged, wearing a blue flannel shirt over a white T-shirt and possibly dark jeans, with white tennis shoes and a navy cap with a red brim.

Police reminded visitors to leave valuables at home, keep personal items in fanny packs or on your person at all times, know where your property is when using campus athletic facilities and never leave keys, bags, wallets or purses unattended.

Anyone with information should call UC Berkeley police’s criminal investigations bureau at 510-642-0472 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or during business hours, and 510-642-6760 on holidays or at other times.